Re: [asa] The Multiverse - Physics or Metaphysics?

On 9/8/07, rpaulmason@juno.com <rpaulmason@juno.com> wrote:
>
> Fred Hoyle came up with 10 to the -40,000th, I came up with 10 to the
> -6,000th for a minimal cell (200 small genes) but 10 to the -1000th is still
> way beyond what could happen in a universe that's not set up somehow. The
> total number of chemical events/collisions (need these to have a chemical
> reaction to make or break a molecule) is the total number of vibrations of
> every atom in the universe over 15 billion years. it come out to less than
> 10 to the 150th. Thus the FACTS are - life is statistically and chemically
> impossible in a normal "natural" universe. Thus something else is going on.

I agree that there is something else going on. But I don't agree with your
assertion that life is statistically impossible in a normal universe. What
is statistically impossible (well ... vanishingly improbable), is the idea
that life starts with a replicating molecule of RNA coming together by
chance ( Koonin describing this as the transition from chance to
evolution).

What I say is that this means that the model is incorrect and if you want to
keep looking for a scientific explanation then you had better start to look
for a better model that renders a much greater probability, rather than
appeal to metaphysical concepts. I'm no biologist, but aren't there
supposed to be models of chemical evolution that don't rely (initially) on
copying of information?

Iain

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Received on Sat Sep 8 13:46:50 2007